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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

We have received a report of unusually high levels of noxious fumes near the Mill Mall in Hazelwood, Mo. That location is currently upwind of the underground fire at the radioactive West Lake Superfund landfill site in Bridgeton, Mo. The noxious fume release is likely related to "remediation efforts" which started this week at the landfill.

UPDATE: 8am The Mo DNR is taking gamma radiation measurements from 3 map points at the landfill (they miss identified their equipment). However, they are not taking radiological air quality readings; they are only taking ambient gamma radiation readings. We rate this as being better than nothing, but no where near the level of airborne monitoring that they should be doing. At minimum the DNR should have requested deployable air quality radiological testing equipment from the EPA.

The difference between what they have now and what they should have in regard to airborne radiological testing is the difference between knowing if your going to die in the next few days from radiation sickness versus knowing if the radiological releases are going to give you lung cancer in the next few years. Obviously, documenting the later would have great financial risk for those responsible for the current situation.